HARRISBURG, Pa. – The First Frontier Circuit finals got underway on Thursday, Jan. 16 at the Farm Show Arena in Harrisburg.
The Circuit Finals, annually part of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, heated things up in the arena, despite the frigid temperatures and wind chills near zero.
The night kicked off with bareback riders, where five of the seven riders posted qualified rides in the first round. Leading the way in the first of three rounds was Clint Burton of Caldwell, Idaho, putting up 80.0 points on Misfit, out of the Painted Pony Rodeo.
Behind Burton was Terry Lee Owens Jr., of Lexington, N.C., with 79.0 points aboard Painted Smoke, also of Painted Pony. Third was Logan Willemsma of Guthrie, Okla., with 75 points on Painted Pony’s Simon Sez. Bob Cross of Browns Mills, NJ, landed fourth on Otis, out of Cowtown, and Clovis Crane of Lebanon, Pa., returning to competition in the Circuit Finals and competing in three events, after breaking his femur less than three months ago, finished fifth.
Three riders took home round money in saddle bronc in round one. David Rubel, of Grantville, Pa., got things started with a 75 pointer on Little Big Man of Painted Pony stock. Shane Kuhn of Citra Fla. Was second, scoring 70 on Shasta, another Painted Pony bronc, and the only other qualified ride in the round was AJ Williams, who scored 65 on McClintock, of Cowtown Rodeo.
In tie down roping, 10 of 12 competitors put up scores, JR Myers of Felton, Pa. setting the winning pace at 8.6 seconds. The next nearest time was more than two seconds behind JR, with an 11.2 second time for Cory Clement of Pedricktown, NJ, giving Myers a good jumpstart toward the average. Tim Naylor of Hancock Md., took third with a 11.9 time and fourth was 13.0 seconds for Chuck Smith of Townsend, Del.
When it comes to throwing steers, Greg Bennett of Lake Luzerne, NY set a blistering time of 3.7 seconds. No one was able to catch him in the rest of round one, but Tom Farrelly of Cayuga, N.Y. did his best, taking second with 4.3 seconds. Kirk Trumpower of Mercersburg, Pa. followed close behind, with 4.8 seconds and taking home fourth place money was Darren Morgan of Ft. Edward, N.Y., at the 5-second mark.
The team of Carmen Nastri (Balston Spa, NY) and Shawn Quinn (Schuylerville, NY) took the first round of team roping with a time of 6.4 seconds. Chuck Smith decided his tie-down check wasn’t enough, so he and Joe Williams (Perkiomenville, Pa.) took second in the team roping at 8.1 seconds. Third was 8.5 seconds for another repeater, Darren Morgan, and Mike Charles (Auburn, Pa.), and closing out the top four finishers was a family affair with Tim Naylor (Hancock, Md) and Norman Naylor (Hagerstown, Md.) teaming up for a 10.1 second finish. Eight of the 12 teams would head into round two with qualified times tucked in their pockets.
The ladies took center stage in the Farm Show Arena next, as barrel racing held court. Kristine Roy of Hagaman, NY, was the only time under the 15-second mark, and took home first place honors with a time of 14.87 seconds. Jennifer Romriell of Broadalbin, NY was second at 15.02 seconds. Close behind, in third and fourth, was a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law team, with Nickie Stoltzfus of McClure, Pa. and Joyce Stoltzfus of Peach Bottom, Pa. posting times of 15.22 and 15.38 seconds respectively.
Always the fan favorite, bull riding closed out Thursday’s round one of the First Frontier Circuit Finals. Five of the 12 riders put scores up in the round, with first and second getting split between JR DeMarsh of Lake Luzerne, NY and Brandon Manning of Birdsboro, Pa. at the 80 point mark. DeMarsh rode Thumper, out of Cowtown, while Manning conquered Partner of the Painted Pony brand.
Third place honors went to Terry Lee Owens Jr., of Lexington N.C., with 74 points on Big Bucks, from the Painted Pony, his second check of the night. At 72 points, Sean Kampmeier of Woodbury, NJ finished fourth, aboard Coco, out of Cowtown. The only other qualified ride in the round was Cody Christopher of Statesville, N.C. with 69 points on MB, of the Painted Pony.
Action was to continue Friday night, as round two of the Circuit Finals takes place in Pennsylvania’s Farm Show Arena.
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